Recently, a request for an interactive program, which allows a user to conveniently input a shape and a processing condition of a work piece and create a processing program in a work field, is being increased. However, in a method of inputting a shape of the interactive program of the related art, a user defines a shape by sequentially inputting only straight line and circular arc elements that are provided by the interactive program while seeing the drawings. In this method, it is difficult and inconvenient to input a shape. In addition, the user needs to input a shape every time in accordance with contents of work, and in order to reuse contents of past work, the user needs to select the corresponding contents of work or shape information, and performs entire or partial correction thereof.
In some exclusive processing apparatuses, information on frequent contents of work is patterned and provided by a system, but the exclusive processing apparatuses is limited to a restrictive shape for a specific processing or a standardized processing, and is not used for a processing for a turning center (TC). In addition, in order to increase convenience for the user in inputting a shape, some interactive programs provide a function of inputting a shape using a CAD file. However, because this function changes the CAD file made by the user into internal data of the interactive program, reutilization of the existing processed shape information is very low.
In addition, there is a case in which an expert user directly makes a macro program using variables in a memory in a machine tool, but the expert user needs to participate in working for a long period of time, and an environment for convenience of use is not provided.
Meanwhile, for a small quantity batch production, which is gradually increased in an industrial field, it is necessary to frequently input a shape for various products, and to this end, much effort and time are needed with the method of inputting a shape using the existing interactive program. Therefore, in order to increase efficiency of a processing program in a work field, and improve convenience of the user and contents of work, an improvement in a method of inputting a shape in a processing program is acutely required.
The discussion above is merely provided for general background information and is not intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.